Burglarproof shield



HHFHSU WGQTSAFES, BANK PROTECTION AND RELATED DEVICES.

Juli? 24 1924.

. J. H. BURTNER BURGLAREROOF SHIELD @UII 61mm v 109. SAFES, BANK PROTECTION AND RELATED DEVICES.

June 24 1924.

J. r BURTNER BURGLARPROOF SHIELD Filed May 1 109. SAN-.5, BANK tHUltUIlUN AND RELATED DEVICES.

Patented June 24, 1924.

UNITED STATES JACOB HARP BUR-TNER, OF BOON'SBORO, MARYLAND.

BURGLARPROOF SHIELD.

Application filed May 1,

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, JACOB H. BURTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boonsboro, in the county of Washington and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burglarproof Shields; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a burglar proof shield for use in banks, express offices, and the like, where money or valuables are handled, and aims to provide means for pro jecting a bullet-proof shield across the window or opening behind which the cashier, teller or other person is positioned, to prevent such person from being held-up and the Valuables stolen.

Another object is the provision of novel means for mounting the shield, so as to be normally retracted out of the way, and to be projected across the window or opening.

A further object is the provision of novel means for projecting the shield when released, so as to quickly and positively move to shielding position.

The invention also has for an object the provision of such a device, which is improved in its construction and details, to enhance the utility and efficiency thereof, and to enable the shields to be embodied in the partition.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a partition embodying the present improvements.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged vertical sections on the lines 22 and 33, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4c4: of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the improvements embodied in a curved partition.

The partition comprises the alternate 1922. Serial No. 557,787.

posts 10 and 11 spaced apart at suitable in tervals, with the lower and upper panels 12'and 13, respectively, between said posts. The posts are of sheet metal and hollow, and the lower panels 12 may be of sheet metal, marble, or the like, while the upper panels 13 are preferably of glass, provided with suitable frames. Upper rails 14 extend along the upper edges of the panels 13, and have upstanding impalement spikes or prongs 15 thereon to prevent a burglar or maliciously-inclined person from climbing over the partition. Caps 16 are secured on the posts and also have upstanding impalement prongs 17. A customers shelf 18 is disposed at the front of the partition between the panels 12 and 13, and is supported from the posts and panels 12 by means of angle iron brackets 19. A shelf or counter top 20 is disposed in rear of the partition on which the money and valuables are placed and handled by the tellers, clerks, or other persons on duty behind the partition, and said shelf or top 20 is supported by brackets or stands 21 in rear of the posts.

The partition may be of any suitable construction, and the posts thereof are made hollow to serve as guides for the shields 22. Such partition may also be of different designs and finishes. The hollow posts are incidental to the use of the shields, to serve as guides for said shields. As shown, each shield 22 extends across two sets of panels, passing through the post 11 and having its opposite ends terminating within the posts 10, whereby each shield will protect two Windows of the panels 13. The shields 22 are of bullet-proof sheet metal, and are normally retracted downwardly behind the panels 12, and the upper edges of the shields have the T-fianges 23 seating on the adjacent edges of the shelves 18 and 20, flush with the upper surfaces of said shelves, to provide a continuous unbroken surface from the outer to the inner shelf. The shields 22 slide upwardly and downwardly through the slots between the outer and inner shelves.

Each post is composed of the outer and inner channel-shaped sections 24E having their flanges projectin toward one another, so that the post is hollow, with slots in the sides of the posts between the flanges through which the shields 22 project to be guided for vertical movement in the posts. The flanges of the sections 24 have inturned lips 25, to stiffen the posts and to also assist in guiding the shields.

Vertical strips 26 are secured to the end portions and intermediate portions of 'the shields and abut the lips 25, to guide the shields upwardly and downwardly. The sections 24 of each post are connected by stays 27, and the stays of the posts 10 are located between the ends of the shields, whereas the stays 27 of the posts 11 must be located above and below the shields so as not to interfere with the movement of said shields. Such stays strengthen the posts in View of the fact that the slots in the sides thereof divide the posts for a large portion of their length to receive the shields.

In order to raise the shields cables 28 are secured to the upper edges of the shields or to the upper ends of the strips 26, and extend upwardly in the posts over pulleys 29 mounted in the upper end portions of the posts, from which the cables extend downwardly and are wound upon drums 30 located in rear of the shields 22 below the shelves or counter 20 at the rear of the posts. The drums 30 are secured on horizontal shafts 31 located in rear of the posts under the shelf 20, and said shafts,are journaled in bearings 32 secured to the posts. There is a shaft 31 for each shield, and the shafts 31 are rotated by weights 33 located behlnd the panels 12 and suspended from cables 34 which are wound upon drums or spools 35 secured on the shafts 31.

The shields are held down in retracted position by means of catches 36 engaging in notches or openings 37 in the shields, and said catches are secured to a rock shaft 38 which extends through the posts, and a single shaft 38 may extend past all of the shields, whereby the shaft in being rocked to disengage the catches 36 from the shields, will release all of the shields simultaneously. The shaft 38 has pedals 39 at suitable points along the length thereof, whereby the teller or person behind the partition at any position along the partition, can reach one of the pedals with one of his feet, whereby the depression of a pedal will release all. of the shields.

Means is provided for winding the cables 34 on the drums 35 to raise the weights 33 of each shield, for lowering each shield indi vidually. Such means includes a shaft 45 for each shield journaled in bearings 46 under the shelf or counter 20 and projecting rearwardly, said shaft 45 being connected with the corresponding shaft 31 by means of the bevel gears 47. The shaft has a protruding square end 48 for the engagement of a crank 49 used to turn the shafts 45 and 31.

'It is usual to provide each panel 13 with a window or opening in which a grating 40 is disposed, for the passage of money or valuables under the grating. In order to prevent a club, stick or other obstruction from being inserted under the grating and over the shield, in an attempt to prevent the shield from being raised, the grating is mounted so as to be freely movable upwardly with the shield when such an obstruction has been inserted between the grating and shield. Thus, each grating 40 is slidable vertically in the guides 41 with which the partition 13 is formed, and said guides are provided with ratchet teeth 42 therein on which are engageable bevelled lugs 43 with which the grating 40 is provided at its lower end. Springs 44 carried by the grating work in the guides and hold the lugs 43 in engagement with the teeth. Thus, by pressing the grating 40 against the tension of the springs 44, the lugs 43 may be disengaged from the ratchet teeth 41 to raise or lower the grating, and the grating, when released, is supported in any vertical position. During an attempted hold-up or burglary, should an object be inserted under the grating over the shield, in an effort to prevent the shield from being raised, the grating will be raised with the shield inasmuch as the grating is free to slideupwardly, the lugs 43 simply snapping past the ratchet teeth 42.

Under normal conditions, the shields 22 are retracted or depressed behind the panels 12, as seen in Fig. 3, and are held by the catches 36, with the cables 34 wound on the drums 35 and the weights 33 raised. In the event of an attempted hold-up or burglary, should any person along the partition depress one of the pedals 39, all of the catches 36 will be moved out of engagement with the shields, thereby releasing all of the shields. The weights 33 in gravitating, will unwind the cables 34 from the drums 35, and thereby wind the cables 28 on the drums 30, so as to raise the shields and project them across the windows and panels 13, thus thwarting the burglar, and presenting a bullet-proof obstruction all along the partition. The weights 33 are sufiiciently heavy to move the shields upwardly with considerable force, so that the shields will be projected quickly and with certainty. When the danger of the hold-up has passed, the shields are again retracted. Each shield can be depressed by itself by connecting the crank 49 with the corresponding shaft 45 and rotating said shaft to wind the cables 34 on the drums 35, thereby raising the weights 33 and unwinding the cables 28 from the drums 30 to permit the corresponding shield to gravitate down to normal position out of the way. The catches 36 in engaging the shields will retain them in lowered position.

The present construction can also be embodied in partitions which are not straight,

IUU. DATED, DANA rnuuzouuw AND RELATED DEVICES.

but which are curved or of angular form. In Fig. 5, a curved partition is shown, and in this case, there is a separate or individual shield 22 between each pair of posts, and also an individual shaft 31 for each shield. These and other modifications can be made, Within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. A structure of the character described comprising a partition having hollow posts and panels between the posts, one of the panels having a window, a shield for the window slidable in said posts, a shaft extending along the partition adjacent to said posts, cables connected to the shield within the posts, pulleys for said cables in the upper portions of the posts, drums on said shaft to which said cables are connected, a weight between the posts, and suspending means for the Weight Wound on said shaft,

and means for holding the shield retracted and operable for releasing the shield.

2. A structure of the character described comprising a partition havin a window, wwnncmdm umagmues for the grating, said grating and guides having means for supporting the grating in dif ferent vertical positions and permitting the grating to slide upwardly freely, and a normally depmssed shield;sli dable adjacent to the partition and projectable upwardly across said window, said grating and shield being movable upwardly individually and being disconnected and said grating being movable upwardly with the shield When an objectis inserted between them.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB HARP BURTNER.

Witnesses:

Row. L. HARTLE, CHAS. SErrH LANE. 

